On The Western Circuit by Thomas Hardy

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On The Western Circuit

Thomas Hardy

Hardy lived in London and was the son of a stone mason (craftsman), educated but not in a university standard.  He felt inferior because he was not in a middle or upper class. Hardy’s mother was a respected servant; Hardy was married to a vicar’s daughter in Cornwall, and trained as an architect.  His marriage was not successful and possibly the account which follows in Hardy’s own reflection upon his upbringing and life situation.  In reading the story readers are drawn into the complexities of human relationships, reflecting Hardy’s own situations.  

Hardy sets the scene of this story as an October evening in the city of Melchester and with skillful use of language draws the reader into the atmosphere of the surroundings.  The man, whom Hardy describes, is a visitor to the city and has been standing in “the Close” of the cathedral.  The Close is that area immediately surrounding the ancient church buildings.  The cathedral itself is described as an “homogeneous pile of Medieval architecture,” which the foot note describes as “unusually… of one period”.  Generally older church buildings evolve over many centuries, with additions being made as required by the congregations of the day—this cathedral, however, is only of one period, “Early English Gothic”.  The man, in this account, seems to be a visitor both to the cathedral and to Melchester as Hardy describes, “he postponed till the morrow his attempt to examine the deserted edifice, and turned his attention to the noise”.  The cathedral is empty and the man turns and walks from the Close into the noise of the city streets.  Perhaps in this paragraph Hardy is reflecting again on his own situation and turns his back on the grandeur of the church and seeks to mingle with people of his own standing.

        

Hardy goes on to describe the scenes within the city in particular the noise of the market square on which is a mechanical fare.  Men, women and children are described as “gnats against a sunset,” and the fare as “swings, see-saws, flying-leaps, above all of the three steam roundabouts”.  The steam circuses and the revolving roundabout occupied the man’s attention, especially “the hobby horses and the gyrating personages”.   Whilst observing the scenes within the market square the man reflects about his own person and sees himself as “A gentlemanly young fellow, unlike the majority of the crowd”.  His appearance and dress place him within “the professional class,” unlike the people in the market square.  Again perhaps Hardy is reflecting upon his own life style and situation.  He sees himself as an educated person but still finds himself as a lower class citizen.  At the time of writing, class differences within Britain were very important and in describing the market scene Hardy is looking at himself and his own life.

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Within the crowds of people the man’s eyes rest upon a pretty girl on the revolving roundabout, which was powered by steam.  He follows her movements as the machine revolves and moves to the place where he thinks she will get off when it stops. She decides to have a second ride and he asks her if she has enjoyed her ride.  Hardy describes the young girl as someone who has come from the country to the city, and has never seen steam circuses before.  She has come to work for Mrs. Harnham as a servant.  Mrs. Harnham has ...

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